Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha. Duh.

Author's Note: ^_^ Hey hey! Just in the mood to write sappy, fluff-stuffed one-shots, I suppose.

So. . . uh. . . Here you go! (Oh- and the song is called `You're Still You' by Josh Groban.)

Enjoy! ^_^

~*~

The cold, gray light of earliest dawn seeped slowly over the land, staining the black grass shades of gray and navy. Dark pools of blood shimmered like oil in the remaining starlight, dripping off of random demon remains and broken weapons.

It was over.

And through the blanketing shadows loomed a single structure- an old, rotting house. A pathetic shack-like structure made of broken shingles and cracked wood. Inside that little hut there lay six injured friends, resting off the wounds from the last fight. Their final battle. Yes. . .After all this time. . .

It was really over.

Inu-Yasha's vibrant amber eyes cracked open as that fact truly sunk in, took hold of his mind. Carefully lifting his throbbing head off of his wounded chest, he glanced out the frost-caked window. The smallest rays of dull light were beginning to peep through, illuminating the color of his honey orbs.

It was really, really over.

Turning his face again, he registered the positions of his battered pack mates. Sango was resting against Kirara, her chest moving up and down laboriously as her broken limbs presumably shot spasms of pain up and down her body. The fire cat underneath her was just as injured, suffering from torn ligaments and numerous cuts. Miroku lay on the floor by Shippo, both put temporarily out of commission due to minor concussions and poison stings. The monk, however, rested with a smile- his kanzanaa-less hand uncovered.

And then Kagome. . .

She slept cuddled in the corner, her legs scarred and her arms infected by unearthly amounts of miasma. Her head lolled against her shoulder as a slash on her cheek bled weakly, further staining her already ruined school uniform as the red liquid spilled over her blouse.

The girl moaned softly in her slumber, her eyes lightly shut. Inu-Yasha chuckled silently as she released a quiet snore, mumbling incoherently in her sleep. Strands of her silky ebony hair tickled her nose as it tumbled over her shoulders in wild waves, covering her body like a blanket. It had grown long in the last few months- almost to her behind. The inu hanyou frowned slightly at the memory of begging her to cut it- that it was getting much too long- like Kikyo's. Kikyo- the one they had finally laid to rest.

Now he didn't care about its length- in fact, he liked her long locks. It looked nice on her. . .

He wanted to touch it.

The half demon carefully got to his feet, wincing as his middle pained him. Well, being run through does tend to sting a bit. . . He grimaced but ignored it- he'd felt worse.

Toddling over to the corner, Inu-Yasha allowed himself to sink to the ground again only when he was right next to his Kag-chan. He had wanted to be next to her earlier that night. . . but old habits die hard. They were both so used to hiding their feelings for protection's sake that they hadn't nabbed the opportunity to tell their friends about their relationship before they went to bed. Not that they would have. . . everyone was too exhausted- all but dead on their feet, if you'd pardon the pun. . .

Kagome released the smallest of sighs, her hair fluttering gently as she did so. Inu felt a smile tug at his lips as he lovingly trailing a hand over her features, pushing her midnight tresses behind her ear.

Even now. . .

God, was she beautiful. . .

More beautiful than Kikyo could ever be- both in body and soul.

Suddenly, half way through his feather-light embrace, the hanyou stopped his trailing fingers- a small smirk forming on his lips. He could hear the girl's heart speeding up, eventually coming to match the pace of his own.

"Awake, koishii. . . ?" he whispered, leaning towards her ear and brushing against it with his cheek.

~Through the darkness

I can see your light

And you will always shine

And I can feel your heart in mine

Your face I've memorized. . .

I idolize

Just you~

The girl fought to keep a grin off of her face but failed, eventually allowing her eyes to slowly open. She smiled coyly at her love through her lashes, covering his frozen fingers with her own. "Don't stop. . ." she murmured, rubbing her face against his palm in an almost cat-like manner. "Please. . . ?"

Inu-Yasha laughed softly, placing a teasing whisper of a kiss on the girl's lips. "You're supposed to be resting. You're badly hurt."

"So are you, and you're not resting," she pointed out, rolling her bottomless, ocean-colored eyes.

"I'm a hanyou," he shrugged, masking the lighting bolt of pain that jolted through him with his usual arrogant expression.

"With a hole through the chest. You're lucky I don't whip out my first aid kit on you! I'm going to tomorrow morn- er- this morning. Those cuts are going to get infected you know! And- - - hey, stop that snickering, mister!"

The boy chuckled again, more quietly this time. No matter what the situation. . .

She acted just like always. . . his Kag.

As his laughter faded away to a mere, silent echo off the walls, he simply smiled at the girl. Kagome shivered at the feelings swirling in his amber orbs- the passion, the affection, the amusement. . .

~I look up to

Everything you are

In my eyes you do no wrong

I've loved you for so long

And after all is said and done

You're still you

After all. . .

You're still you~

"Humph," the girl frowned slightly, though she really wasn't mad. In fact she was oddly thrilled- she had never seen Inu-Yasha so happy, care-free before. . . Of course, she'd never seen him without the presence of Naraku weighing him down, either. All the same- his leaking wounds were starting to seriously worry her. "Well, while you guffaw, I'm going to find my medicine chest." Releasing his hand- but not before placing a lingering kiss on the tips of his clawed digits- the girl carefully braced her back against the wall and slowly slid up it, using the oddly smooth walls to help her get to her feet. Her head spun for a moment, then she boldly pressed on towards the yellow backpack located in the far corner. But God it hurt- - -! Countless starbursts of pain flashed before her weary eyes for simply standing up- it was all but pure torture to walk!

Still, Kag shuddered her way towards her pack and the supplies, thinking only of her mate.

However, her mate was more concerned about her.

~You walk past me

I can feel your pain~

"Kagome, take it easy," a whispered voice sounded in her ear as gentle, callused hands wrapped themselves around her waist to steady her swaying, dizzying toddle. "You'll hurt yourself. . . you'll hurt the pup. . ."

"But I need to get you the- - - !"

. . . ?

Kag blinked as she turned in his arms, looking up into his serious golden eyes with her unsure azure ones.

Did he really just say. . . ?

"You mean. . . the baby survived. . . ?" She was sure that when she had been hit. . . ! Excitement welled up inside her as her love smiled kindly, slowly allowing their embraced bodies to slide to the ground. Then she squealed silently in joy, tightening her arms around Inu-Yasha's neck as she buried her face in his stained chest.

"Don't worry, koishii. . . Everything's all right, now. . ." the boy murmured, rocking his mate back and forth at a soothing pace in the middle of the floor. "Time will pass, people will heal, new lives will begin. . . It'll be all right."

The girl beamed into her love's soiled haori. "You're right, koibito. . . and I can't wait."

~Time changes everything

One truth always stays the same

You're still you

After all. . .

You're still you~

And then Kagome felt- as she very often did- a sudden prickling in the corners of her eyes. But unusually, she made no attempt to stem the flow of tears that threatened to spill down her bloody cheeks. For these tears- they were products of her utter joy. Of celebration.

They had all really made it through.

After everything. . .

Inu-Yasha and she had made it through it all- together.

Just like she had known they would.

~I look up to

Everything you are

In my eyes you do no wrong!

And I believe in you

Although you never asked me to~

Inu-Yasha, too, could barely keep his heart from bursting he was so thrilled: his mate, unborn child, and friends were all alive and safe, Naraku was dead, Kikyo had found peace. . .

He had gotten through.

Everything.

And now, with his arms wrapped snugly around his happily sobbing love- kissing her sweet smelling hair- he allowed countless memories to float past his tired eyes. Kagome pulling the arrow out of his chest. . . his adventures in her time. . . meeting his friends. . . the new moons they had all spent together. . . the countless enemies they had faced. The struggles they all had to- and did- endure. Sango- her family dead- Miroku- his hell hole- Shippo- his parents murdered. And Kagome. . .

In an odd way, she might have had it the worst of them all. . . Forced into an unfamiliar world full of monsters, always having to leave her family and time behind- not knowing whether she'd be alive to come and visit in a few promised days. . .

. . .

Inu glanced down at the hiccuping girl in his arms, gingerly licking a few salty tears away.

~I will remember you

And what life put you through~

"Feeling better. . . ?" he questioned in concern as her hiccups, too, were reduced to nothing but air. She smiled sweetly up at her mate, tracing his lips with a finger as the remains of a pearly tear glittered in the slowly brightening morning light.

"Yeah," she replied softly, tapping his nose. "Sometimes you just need a good cry- no matter what about. You know?"

Considering he'd only ever cried once. . . no. All the same- she was sure damn cute. The hanyou grinned back at her, resting his forehead against her own and lightly pressing his lips against her skin. "I love you, Kagome. Too fricken' much."

~And in this cruel and lonely world

I found one love!~

Kag's giggles transformed into a quiet laugh, vibrating wordlessly off the insides of the silent cabin. The sun was beginning to get higher in the sky now, making shimmering yellow patterns on the walls opposite the few tiny windows. "And I love you, Inu-Yasha. More than you can imagine."

His smile widened slightly as he gently ran his claws up and down her back. "I wish we could stay like this forever. . . excluding the whole injury part, of course."

The girl began to roll her eyes, but then she remember something with a snap of her fingers. "Wishes! That's right- - - !" Digging her hand underneath the neck of her shirt, she extracted a delicate chain- with a whole, heavy dangling gem upon it. "It seems we have to fulfill a wish to get rid of this thing, so. . ." She looked up into her beloved's eyes. "What do you want?"

?

Inu-Yasha blinked at the completed Shikon resting against his lover's breasts. Wish. . . ?

Why. . .

Why did he need a wish. . .

When he had everything he desired. . . ?

. . .

"Inu-Yasha?" Kagome whispered, breaking her mate's temporary spell of silence. "Don't you have a wish to make?" She reached carefully behind her neck to unclasp the necklace, allowing it to fall to her lap with a silent `thump'. Her expectant eyes bored into his own.

"Kagome. . ." he began, but she shook her head.

"It's your to wish with, Inu-chan," she whispered softly, clenching her fists in her lap and making the Shikon no Tama roll onto the floor in front of them. "I won't stop any wish you want to make. But. . . Please know. . .

I love you as you are. . ."

Her pleading storm-hued orbs left his as she nuzzled into his chest again, waiting. She'd remain with him no matter what- she swore it. She loved him. Despite whatever choice he made.

But. . .

The hanyou frowned down at the treasure. What to wish for? He didn't want to be a youkai. . . But he didn't want to be a human, either. He didn't need to wish for anyone's death- everyone he truly despised was already gone. Kagome was his mate, and as such, she would live as long as he. He didn't need to wish for family, friends, or attention of any kind- he already had it. His pup and Kohaku were fine. He didn't even need to wish for ramen- Kag still had plenty in her bag. Then- - - !

But wait. . .

Back up just a bit. . .

He his frown deepened.

His child and Kohaku may be. . .

And Kagome may be. . .

However. . .

. . .

His fingers reached out to clasp the gem- - -

But all it took was a brush to ignite the magic. Sparks of purple and pink spewed from the round ball of spirits, making the boy withdraw his hand rather quickly. The Shikon glowed and crackled and beamed a bright light- - -

And then it silently combusted.

Kagome clamped her eyes shut, half expecting to see red orbs and violet face stripes before her- something she didn't think she was quite ready for.

Instead. . .

She could feel a warm tingling making its way up her tired, sore body- cocooning it in sparkles. And when she chanced a glance at the world, she didn't find herself looking at demon features- she found herself gazing at her rapidly healing friends.

Surprised, she stared with wide eyes up into the still honey-tinted orbs of her mate.

"You. . . healed them?" All that time to collect the stupid jewel and he'd chosen to use the thing as medicine? What about all her sprays and gauzes? Now they were all going to go unused and wasted! Regardless, she wasn't really mad, she was only amused- considering Inu had taken on his usual `I don't care about anyone' tone.

"Keh. They're fragile humans. It'd take `em fuckin' weeks to heal from this. Besides- they'd have died before us and all, so I took the liberty of adding a few years to their lives." He sniffed disdainfully, looking away with a rather fake glare.

Kagome only grinned at him. `Oh yeah. That's right. Act macho. We all know you *REALLY* mean it. . .' Shaking her head with a smile, she slowly reached out and scratched his twitching ears as the sun's glowing orange rays stained the single roomed house.

~You're still you. . .

After all. . .

You're still you. . . ~

"Oh, Inu-Yasha," she breathed happily as the boy began to purr in the back of his throat, forgetting that he was supposed to be acting like a `real man'. "You're just too cute."

He would have argued if he wasn't so busy feeling blissfully happy. Kag's giggles filled the hut once more as she leaned forward, kissing his cheek. "I love you," she whispered for the second time. Inu didn't care about her repetitiveness, though. Like she, he never grew tired of hearing the words fall from his mate's lips.

"And I you, koishii. . ." he murmured through his purrs, pulling her close and resting his chin on her head. As they watched the sun's path through the tiny, frosty window, he placed his hands gently over her middle, kissing her neck.

They had made it. Half of him couldn't believe it-

They'd made it through the dawn of evil, the dawn of darkness, the dawn of the end- - -

And now, here they sat.

At the dawn of a fresh start.